The Raiders are walking into 2026 with more attention than they’ve had in a while, and the questions around the franchise are easy to spot. Rich Eisen raised a few of them this week, and they all circle back to the same theme: what does Las Vegas actually look like when the season starts?
Start with Ashton Jeanty, because the rookie year was rough in ways that had little to do with him. The 22-year-old running back was stuck behind a bad offensive line and in an offense that never seemed to find its footing.
He finished 2025 with 266 carries for 975 yards and five touchdowns, good for 3.7 yards per carry. That was never the vision when the Raiders took the former Boise State back with the No. 6 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Now the setup is different. Las Vegas added Tyler Linderbaum at center, and the hiring of Klint Kubiak as head coach gives Jeanty a much cleaner runway.
Kubiak has already earned a reputation as one of the more inventive offensive minds around, and the Raiders are clearly betting that a better structure will unlock the back they thought they were drafting. Jeanty should officially establish himself as one of the best running backs in the league this season.
Kubiak’s arrival is the other major storyline, and it comes with real expectations. There’s always a gap between being a sharp offensive coordinator and handling a head coaching job, but the belief here is that Kubiak is ready for the bigger stage.
He’s not just bringing scheme; he’s bringing accountability, and that’s already being felt inside the building. The Raiders didn’t just hire a play-caller.
They hired someone they believe can lead the entire room, and the expectation is that he’ll prove it in 2026.
Quarterback is the next piece, and the plan is straightforward for now. Kirk Cousins is expected to open the season as the starter, and the hope is that he keeps the job all year.
That said, there are no guarantees. Cousins is 38, and the Raiders know health and performance can change the picture fast.
If the team is sitting in the middle of the pack by the trade deadline, the front office could make aggressive moves that push Mendoza into the starting role earlier than anyone expects.
Then there’s Maxx Crosby, who remains a name that refuses to go away. The trade with the Baltimore Ravens was rescinded, but the bigger question lingers: is there still interest from other teams, and would Las Vegas listen?
For now, nothing should be assumed. A deal doesn’t feel likely during training camp, and the Raiders are not shopping him.
Still, if another team comes with a massive offer, the conversation could change. The most likely point for a real revisit would be near the trade deadline, especially if the Raiders are headed toward missing the playoffs.
In Other News...
Raiders Could Finally Have A Real Shot At A True No. 1
The Raiders still do not have a clear-cut No. 1 wide receiver, and that reality has kept the conversation alive about when they might finally take a big swing at the position. If no current pass catcher steps forward by 2026, Las Vegas could be in the market for a major addition in the 2027 offseason, with Ohio State standout Jeremiah Smith already viewed as a likely top receiver in that draft and a natural fit for what the offense wants to do.
There is also the veteran route to consider, even if it is only in the realm of speculation for now. Justin Jefferson has been floated as a possible name to watch if Minnesotas situation pushes him toward change, and the idea of him landing in Las Vegas would instantly reshape the outlook for a receiver room that has been searching for a true alpha. For the Raiders, it is the kind of possibility that keeps the door open on a much bigger move than the one they are currently able to make. [Read more 🡒]
Klint Kubiaks QB Competition Message Leaves Raiders Fans Wanting More
Klint Kubiak spent part of his latest comments trying to strike a careful balance in the Raiders quarterback competition, backing both Fernando Mendoza and Kirk Cousins without tipping his hand too far in either direction. He pointed to Cousins final four games in Atlanta last season as evidence the veteran can still help, while also saying Mendoza has gotten a ton better and has been diligent, even if he stopped well short of laying out exactly how that progress will show up once the competition really starts.
The more Kubiak talked, the more he sounded like a coach determined to keep the room on a pure merit basis and avoid creating any extra layers of responsibility around it. Asked about mentorship and the challenges that come with moving into the head coaching role, he stayed broad, leaning on the scouting staff and the infrastructure around him rather than naming a specific blind spot, which leaves the Raiders with a familiar offseason question still hanging in the air: how this competition is supposed to unfold, and what kind of support system will actually shape it. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders Fans May Need To Rethink Patrick Graham After This
Patrick Grahams run as the Raiders defensive coordinator is getting a fresh look now that he has moved on to a new opportunity in Pittsburgh. For Las Vegas fans, the debate around his tenure has always been a little more complicated than the raw results, because the defense was operating within a larger team-building approach that did not always match up with the kind of investment other contenders made on that side of the ball.
The Steelers are giving Graham a different kind of setup, one that comes with a more talented and more expensive defensive roster than he had in Las Vegas. That matters because it gives him a chance to show what his scheme can do with better pieces around it, and it also leaves Raiders fans wondering how much of the criticism he took here was really about coaching and how much was about the circumstances he inherited. [Read more 🡒]